Brighton & Hove Albion are reportedly eyeing a £15 million swoop for Manchester United youngster Brandon Williams this summer.
According to the Mirror, Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has emerged as a transfer target for fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, who are planning a £15 million swoop for him.
Williams is a product of the Manchester United academy and broke into the senior setup under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 21-year-old made his senior debut in 2019 and has since made 50 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring once and setting up three more. However, following the arrival of Alex Telles in 2020, his game-time took a hit.
Williams, as a result, was loaned out to Norwich City last season, where he played 29 times as the Canaries faced relegation from the Premier League. Now back at Manchester United, the young full-back does not find himself in the plans of new manager Erik ten Hag.
Indeed, Manchester United have already signed Tyrell Malacia to strengthen their options at left-back and are pushing to land Denzel Dumfries for the right-back slot. It leaves Williams well down the pecking order of things at Old Trafford, and a summer exit could be on the cards.
Southampton had expressed an interest in Williams, and now Brighton have also entered the race to sign the 21-year-old Englishman. The Seagulls could be forced into the market for a new left-back amid question marks over the future of Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard is a subject of transfer interest from Manchester City, who have already had a bid rejected for the former Barcelona prospect.
However, with Cucurella keen on a switch, Manchester City are expected to return with an improved offer and lure him away from the Amex Stadium. And Graham Potter’s side have identified Williams as an ideal replacement for the Etihad-bound Cucurella. The 21-year-old continues to be rated highly in England, and Potter has shown that he can get the best out of youngsters with potential.
So, a move to Brighton could make sense for Williams, who is unlikely to find regular game-time at Manchester United this season. The report states that the Seagulls could be willing to do a deal for the English youngster for a fee of £15 million and have made contact with United already. However, they want to finalise Cucurella’s exit before pressing ahead with their interest in Williams.
